Stellate Ganglion Block

A stellate ganglion block (sympathetic nervous system block) is an injection of local anesthetic, with or without an anti-inflammatory agent, into the front of the neck. Doctors most commonly order it for pain located in the head, neck, chest or arm that is caused by sympathetically maintained pain (complex regional pain syndrome), causlagia (nerve injury), herpes zoster (shingles) or intractable angina. Stellate ganglion blocks are also used for circulation problems, particularly Raynaud’s or complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), to see if blood flow can be improved.

Stellate ganglion blocks may be of therapeutic or diagnostic value. The procedure will most likely need to be repeated to achieve a long-lasting benefit. The spacing of injections will be based on how long the pain relief lasts between injections. Typically, each subsequent injection allows the patient to experience a longer benefit.